We believe that the ever-accumulating body of Jewish wisdom offers inspiration and guidance to help people—Jews and fellow travelers—navigate life’s big questions, from how to be a good parent, partner, consumer, and citizen, to how to manage the struggles life throws our way, and much more.

This year, we are seeking social-impact organizations that have an existing program or the seed of a new idea to apply Jewish wisdom to support democracy and civic engagement. We are interested in learning about creative applications of our ancient tradition to nurturing and sustaining democracy in the 21st century.

This is not a partisan question. We are looking for solutions to the challenges facing democracy writ large (e.g., How might we foster respect for viewpoint diversity? How might we encourage broader participation in the political process?), not to advance any particular political agenda. Today more than ever, we want to focus on the common questions we share, not the ones that divide us.

AWARD DETAILS

We'll award up to

$150,000

in Prizes

Established programs are eligible for awards of

$30,000

New ideas are eligible for awards of

$15,000

In addition to providing project funds, Lippman Kanfer Foundation for Living Torah will promote your work to key audiences and provide access to non-monetary support that advances the sustainability and growth of your efforts.

Timeline

Organizations may submit an established program or new idea for consideration from October 22 through November 30, 2018.

A subset of applicants will be invited to submit a second, more detailed application in December. Winners will be publicly announced at the Jewish Funders Network Conference in San Francisco in March of 2019.

Informational Webinar

An informational for prospective applicants was held on Thursday, November 1, 2018. You can view a recording of the webinar by clicking the link below.

Selection will be spearheaded by Lippman Kanfer Foundation for Living Torah staff and board members, previous Prize winners, current grantees, and other relevant experts. A distinguished and diverse panel of Jewish community leaders will serve as final judges.

FAQ

Who can submit an entry for a Lippman Kanfer Prize?

Any U.S-based 501(c)(3) or fiscally-sponsored organization, including current grantees of Lippman Kanfer Foundation for Living Torah, may submit and established program or new idea for consideration. Political action committees, 501(c)(4) organizations, and programs currently funded by our foundation are ineligible for the Prize.

What do you mean by “Applied Jewish Wisdom”?

We use the phrase "Applied Jewish Wisdom" to refer to the application of particular Jewish wisdom to universal human questions. We believe that the ever-accumulating body of Jewish wisdom offers inspiration and guidance to help people—Jews and fellow travelers—navigate life’s big questions, from how to be a good parent, partner, consumer, and citizen, to how to manage the struggles life throws our way, and much more.

Who is funding this Prize?

The Lippman Kanfer Prize is sponsored by Lippman Kanfer Foundation for Living Torah with support from Democracy Fund.

How much will be awarded in Prize money?

This year, we’ll award up to $150,000 in prize money. Established programs will be eligible for awards of $30,000 and new ideas will be eligible for awards of $15,000.

In addition to the cash award, what will the Prize winners receive?

In addition to providing project funds, Lippman Kanfer Foundation for Living Torah will promote your work to key audiences and provide access to non-monetary support that advances the sustainability and growth of your efforts.

The deadline for applications is November 30, 2018 at 3pm EST. A subset of applicants will be invited to submit a second, more detailed application in December.

Is this part of a particular political agenda?

The Prize is non-partisan. Political action committees and 501(c)(4) organizations are ineligible for the Prize.

We are interested in learning about creative applications of our ancient tradition to nurturing and sustaining democracy in the 21st century. We are looking for solutions to the challenges facing democracy writ large (e.g., How might we foster respect for viewpoint diversity? How might we encourage broader participation in the political process?), not for any particular political agenda. Today more than ever, we want to focus on the common questions we share, not the ones that divide us.

Are international projects eligible?

We are seeking projects working specifically on civic engagement and democracy in the United States.

When will the winners be announced?

Prizes will be awarded at the Jewish Funders Network Conference of March 2019.

To whom should I direct my questions?

We invite all interested applicants to attend an informational webinar on November 1 at 12pm EDT for more details. If you have additional questions, email us at prize@lippmankanfer.org.

Can an organization submit more than one application?

Yes, an organization may submit two applications; one application for the new ideas category, and one application for the established programs category.

HISTORY

The inaugural Lippman Kanfer Prize celebrated applications of Jewish wisdom in all areas of life and received over 200 applications from a diverse array of organizations. The 2016 Prize winners were announced at the Jewish Futures Conference.

Lippman Kanfer Foundation for Living Torah encourages and supports endeavors to help people —Jews and fellow travelers— access and apply Jewish wisdom to live better lives and shape a better world. In other words, we apply particular Jewish wisdom to universal human questions. We also continue the Lippman Kanfer family’s commitment to strengthening the ecosystem for innovation in the Jewish community and to the pursuit of justice. For more information, visit www.lkflt.org.

About Democracy Fund

The Democracy Fund invests in organizations working to ensure that our political system is able to withstand new challenges and deliver on its promise to the American people. For more information, visit www.democracyfund.org.

Lippman Kanfer Foundation for Living Torah encourages and supports endeavors to help people —Jews and fellow travelers— access and apply Jewish wisdom to live better lives and shape a better world. In other words, we apply particular Jewish wisdom to universal human questions. We also continue the Lippman Kanfer family’s commitment to strengthening the ecosystem for innovation in the Jewish community and to the pursuit of justice. For more information, visit www.lkflt.org.

The Democracy Fund invests in organizations working to ensure that our political system is able to withstand new challenges and deliver on its promise to the American people. For more information, visit www.democracyfund.org.

We invite all interested applicants to attend an informational webinar on November 1 at 12pm EDT for more details. If you have additional questions, email us at prize@lippmankanfer.org.